Gravity flow type drier for coffee beans, having material feeding and discharge control



: GRAVITY FLOW TYPE DRIER FOR COFFEE BEANS HAVING MATERIAL FEEDING AND DISCHARGE CONTROL Filed May 1, 1944 ll Sheets-Sheet 1 F H Ja a/6 mm a B1 4, A. R. YGLESIAS-PAZ I I 2 440,884

Z Ykles iaS-Paz y 4, 1948- A R. YGLESlAS-PAZ- 2 440,884

7 GRAVITY FLOW TYPE DRIER FOR COFFEE BEANS HAVING MATERIAL FEEDING AND DISCHARGE CONTROL Filed May 1, 1944 ll Sheets-Sheet 2 air/26m z lgzejw zaz 4, 1943- A. R. YGLESIAS-PAZ 2,440,884

GRAVITY FLOW TYPE DRIER FOR COFFEE BEANS HAVING MATERIAL FEEDING AND DISCHARGE CONTROL Filed May 1, 1944 ll Sheets-Sheet 3 2,440,884 ERIAL May 4, 1948. A. R. YGLESlAS-PAZ I GRAVITY FLOW TYPE DRIER FOR COFFEE BEANS HAVING MAT FEEDING AND DISCHARGE CONTROL Filed May 1, 1944 11 S heets-Sh eet 4 I ifia a Z @Zesias 4% May 4, 1948. A. R. YGLESIAS-PAZ 2,440,884

DRIER FOR COFFEE BEANS HAVING MATERIAL FEEDING AND DISCHARGE CONTROL GRAVITY FLOW TYPE Filed May 1, 1944 1 1 Sheets-Sheet 5 gwumvbo'v zas P7612 y 1948- A. R. YGLESIAS-PAZ 2,440,884

GRAVITY FLOW TYPE DRIER FOR COFFEE BEANS HAVING MATERIAL FEEDING AND DISCHARGE CONTROL Filed May 1, 1944 11 Sheets-Sheet e gi f I 9'6 0 0 0 0 0 O O O 0 0 0 0 0 ifiaullg zeaiasd az My 4, 19 8- A R. YGLESlAS-PAZ 2 3 ,884

GRAVITY FLOW TYPE DRIER FOR COFFEE BEANS HAVING MATERIA FEEDING AND DISCHARGE CONTROL Filed May 1, 1944 ll Sheets-Sheet 7 May 4, 1948. A. R. YGLESIAS-PAZ 4,

GRAVITY FLOW TYPE DRIER FOR COFFEE BEANS HAVING MATERIAL FEEDING AND DISCHARGE CONTROL Filed May 1, 1944 l1 Sheets-Sheet 8 aqjewz @265 m5 JZzz 4, 1948. A. R. YGLESIAS-PAZ 4 GRAVITY FLOW TYPE DRIER FOR COFFEE BEANS HAVING MATERIAL FEEDING AND DISCHARGE CONTROL Filed May 1, 1944 ll Sheets-Sheet 9 ARauZ Yglesi'as Paz- W *GWL 4, 1948 A. k. YGLE-SlAS-PAZ 2,440,884

GRAVITY FLOW TYPE DRIER FOR COFFEE BEANS HAVING MATERIAL FEEDING AND DISCHARGE CONTROL Filed lay 1. 1944 11 Sheets-Sheet 10 M y 194 r A. R. YGLESlAS-PAZ 2 440,884

GRAVITY FLOW TYPE DRIER FOR COFFEE BEANS HAVING MATEKIAL FEEDING AND DISCHARGE CONTROL Filed May 1, 1944- 11 Sheets-Sheet 11 Clttorneys.

Patented May 4,}948

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GRAVITY FLOW TYPE DRIER FOR COFFEE BEANS, HAVING MATERIAL FEEDING AND DISCHARGE CONTROL Adolfo Raul Yglesias-Paz, Guatemala City, Guatemala Application May 1, 1944, Serial No. 533,617

Claims. 1

This invention relates drying coffee beans.

An object of this invention is to provide a cofiee bean drier which is designed for large production, automatic in operation, and will uperate continuously, and will need only a single operator therefor.

Another object of thisinvention is to provide a drier of this kind embodying the use of heated air which passes through the device in countercurrent to the movement of the beans therethrough, the beans dropping by gravity from the initial compartment in measured quantities and contacting the heated air at higher temperatures as the beans approach the discharge end of the device.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a device of this kind an automatically operable means for effecting movement of the beans through the device so that the beans will leave the drier in a predetermined dried condition. In practice, the automatic regulator for moving the material through the device operates by means of a counterweight which is active when a predetermined quantity of coffee beans has lost weight by drying of the moisture therein, so that the beans will remain in thedrying chambers until they are dried to the predetermined degree.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a device of this kind means for progressively passing the coflee beans through the drying chambers, the means for releasing the beans from one chamber to another being in the form of a movable releasing trigger which opens the bottom walls of the chambers so that the beans from one chamber will progress to the succeeding chamber until the beans finally enter the lowermost chamber, from which the beans are discharged into a receiving hopper.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a device of this kind an improved movable bottom wall for a plurality of superposed drying chambers, the bottom wall being so shaped as to provide for the complete discharge of the beans in such chambers and also the agitation of the beans as they are discharged from one chamber to another.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a detailed side elevation of a coffee bean drier constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical section of the lower portion of the device.

to an improved drier for Figure 2A is a fragmentary vertical section of the upper portion of the device.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section of the lower end of the device including the receiving hopper. I

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section of the upper portion of the device.

Figure 5 is a plan view, partly in section, of one of the combined bottom wall forming end valve members for the drying chambers, showing the device in closed position.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the lowermost oi the valve members.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary end elevation, partly in section, of the balanced regulator for controlling the operation of the operator for the movable valves.

Figure 8 is a detailed side elevation of the balanced regulator shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary side elevation of the balanced discharge regulator for the receiving hopper in the lower end of the device.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary Side elevation, partly in section, of the endless operator for the valves.

Figures 11 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section of the distributor and lower portion of the upper hopper.

Figure 12 is a fragmentaryview in elevation, and partlyin section, of the valve used in discharge of water into the balanced valve regulator.

Figure 13 is a sectional plan View taken on the line I3l3 of Figure 8 showing the belt shifter.

Figure 14 is a plan view of the intermediate valve which does not have perforations for the passage of drying air.

Referring to the drawings and first to Figure -1, the numeral [5 designates generally a tower which is formed of a series of superposed drying chambers, and the numeral 16 designates a receiving hopper at the upper end of the tower wherein the coffee beans are initially discharged.

The tower l5, as shown in Figures 2 and 2A, includes a lower deliverychamber or hopper H, which is formed with a substantially conical bottom wall I8, having a delivery pipe or nipple I9 extending from the apex thereof. The lower end of the delivery member I9 is normally closed by means of a pivoted closure 20 which is held in closed position by means of an adjustable weight 2| carried by an arm 22 fixed to the closure 20' and extended angularly therefrom.

, The tower I5 is of substantiallyrectangular configuration, being constructed from a series of rectangular members 23,24 and 21, which are formed with flanges 25 and 26 secured together in any suitable manner, and in practice there are a number of the rectangular members 24 disposed inaxial alignment, and each rectangular member 24 defines a drying chamber, as will be hereinafter described. 1

A rectangular wall-'21 is secured to theuppermost of the rectangular members 24 and defines a measuring chamber wherein the beans are initially discharged from the receiving hopper. L6,, and subsequently discharged to the'i rst or up;

permost drying chamber. Thedrying chambers are designated by the numeral 26 and there may desired between the measuring chamber 21 the lowermost drying chamber 29 The receiving hopper 16 includes a rectangular wall 38 having a downwardly tapered bottom wall 3!, which is truncated at its lower end, and a plurality of diamond-shaped spreader bars 32 are secured in parallelrelationacross the lower portion of the wall 3|. A plurality. of substantially inverted V-shaped bars 33 are disposed below and between each pair of the bars 32, there.- by forming irregular channels 34 through which the coffee beans are adapted to pass.

The inverted v shaped bars 33 have formed with the divergent sides thereofdepending guide channel forming walls 35, thereby-forming measuring chambers 36 below the diamond bars 32. The coifee beans are held against dropping into the measuring chambers 36 by means of movable valve plates 31, which are secured to an elongated rod 38. The rod 38-is movably supported in bearings 39 and 46 disposed exteriorly ofthe rectangular member 21, and inclosed position the valve members 31 will be disposed between adjacent pairs of the depending walls 35.

.A second series of valve members 4! is disposed below the valve members 31, thereby-forming a substantial measuring chamber 36, and the valve members M are secured to a horizontally sliding supporting rod or shaft 42, positioned below the rod or shaft 38. The shaft 42 is slidable in bearings 43 and 44, and normally the valve members 42 will be in closed position as shown in Figures 2A and 4.

The drying chamber 28, immediately below the measuring chambers 36, includes a bottom wallor plate 45 which is perforated so as to permit the passage of air therethrough, the perforations being smaller in size than the oofiee beans so that the beans willnot drop through the perforations. The plate 45 is provided with a plurality oiparallelopenings 46, and a plurality of downwardly inclined guide plates 41 extendf-rom the plate 45st an obtuse angle from the latter plate. The openings 46 in thebottom wall plate 45' are adaptedto be normally closed-by means of a slidable valve structure, generally designated as 48.

In Figures and 6, the valve member 48' is shown in closed and open position respectively. The valve member 48 is formed of a plurality of spaced apart parallel triangularly shaped bars 49 which are formed with a plurality of openings or perforations 58, whereby-air may pass through the bars from one drying. chamber toanother, and the triangular bars 49 are secured to elongated slide bars 5i, 52-, 'and'53. The slide bars 5!, 52, and 53 slidably engage in guides 54, 55, and 56 respectively, at oneside of the tower'l5, and also slidably engage in guides 51; 58, and 59 respectively, carried by the opposite side of the tower 15. The slide bars 5|, 52, and-53 are conheated-together at one end thereof by means of a connecting bar 60.

*A V-shaped bafile6l is secured to the inner side of the hopper atone endof the valve member 48,- and a second v-shaped baffie 621s secured 4 to the opposite inner side of the tower l5, so that thebeans willbe prevented from engaging on the outer sides of the" outermost of the-triangular bars 49 and being crushed thereby as the valve member 48 is moved to open or closed position.

The connecting bar 68 has secured thereto a pairbf parallel spaced apart rails 63 which movably engage between pairs of rollers 64 and 65.

The minis a4 are secured to a vertical beam or column'66, and the, rollers 65 are secured to a second vertical beam 67, spaced outwardly from thebeamfifi. :The two rails 63 are connected together by meansof a U-shaped connector 68, and a horizontal rod 69 is secured between the two beams 66 and 6! as shown in Figure 5, the connecting member 68. sliding along the rod 69.

A spring 16 is disposed about the rod 69, bearing at one end against the connector 68 and at the other end against a collar H, adjustable along the length of the rod 63 so that the spring [6 may be tensioned to the desired degree. The various valve members which are disposed one in each drying chamber 28 are of identical construction, and each includes the rails 63 and the spring 10 whereby each valve member will be normally urged to closed position.

A roller 12 is journaled between the rails 63 inwardly from the. innermost rollers 64, and is 1 adapted to engage against one. side of an endless belt 13, The belt 13. is trained about an upper wheel 14 carried by a support '15 mounted on the upper ends of the beams 66 and 61, and also trained about a lower wheel 16 rotatably carried by a vertically adjustable bearing Ti. The bearing 71 is vertically adjustable in a guide 18, the bearing 11 being movable downwardly t0 tension the belt 13 by means of a belt tightening screw 19. The bearing support 18, or guide, is carried by a horizontal beam 86 secured to the upper end of. a supporting frame 81.

The belt 13 has secured thereto a wedge shaped valve. operator 82 which, as shown in Figure 10, is formed-of a body 83 having hingedly secured thereto a plate 84. The plate 84 is inclined inwardly from the outer side. 85 of. the body 83, and terminates at its. inner end substantially at the outer surface of the belt 73, so that as the wedge 82 moved upwardlyon the inner run of. thev belt, the inclined. plate 84 will engage the roller 72 of a. valve, and move this roller inwardly toward the tower, thereby shifting the correlated valve 48 to open position. The wedge 82 has the plate 84. thereof hinged as at 86 to the bodyv 83v so that the wedge may be made of suitable length tomaintain each valve member inopen position for aperiod. of time sufiicient to permit the discharge by gravity of the beans from one chamber to another.

Thehinging of thetwo portions of thewedge provides a means whereby the wedge may readily pass about the periphery of the two wheels 14 and Iii. The plate85 0f thewedge body 83 is of such length as to maintain the engaged. valve member 48inopen positionfor the desired length ofti me. The upper wheel i4v is mounted on a shaft 81 ancl a second wheel88 is secured to the shaft 81, and has trained thereabout a. belt or flexible driving member 89. The driving member- 89-isalso trained about a pulley or wheel 96 carried by a shaft 9| disposed below the wheel and shown in Figure 2. The shaft 91 has mounted thereona pair of pulleys 93 and 93a, one of which, 93a, is an idler pulley and the other, 93-, fixed to theshaft 9|, and a driving belt 92 is adapted to be selectivelytrained about the idler pulley 93, and about power pulley 93a. The driving belt 52 is driven from a remote power source (not shown).

The driving belt 92 is adapted to be shifted to the driving pulley 83 or idler pulley 93a by means of a belt shifter 84 mounted on a slidable shaft 95.

The tower I has mounted in the lower drying chamber 25 thereof a lower valve member 96 which is formed of a plurality of parallel spaced apart triangular bars 91. The bars 91 are secured to a pair of parallel bars 90, as shown in Figure 6, and are perforated as at 93 so as to permit the hot air to pass upwardly therethrough when the valve members 91 are in closed position.

A lower chamber bottom wall structure, generally designated as I88, is adapted to engage the bases of the bars 81, and right-angularly disposed depending plates or guides I8I extend from the plates or bottom members I80. The bottom wall structure I80 includes a substantially rectangular frame I 82, which is secured to the outer portions or the depending members IN, and the end portions of the horizontal portions I03, and the frame I82 is secured to the upper end of a vertically shiftable shaft I04.

The bars 88 engage pairs of rollers I05 carried by the bottom frame structure I00, so that the bars 98 may be shifted endwise when the lower valve 93 is moved to open or closed position. A pair of vertically disposed bars I03 is secured to the valve member 95, and slidingly engages through openings I81 formed in a valve operating shaft I08 slidable in bearings I 80 and H0, carried by the tower I5. The shaft I08 is disposed above the valve member 56 and preferably a pair of divergent bracing members III are connected to the bars 58 adjacent one end thereof, and connected to the rearmost of the vertical slide bars I05.

The valve member 96, together with the bottom wall structure I08, is adapted to be raised or lowered when the valve member 95 is inclosed position by means of a gravity operated balance structure as will be hereinafter described. The shaft I04 has mounted on the lower end thereof a roller H2, which is engaged by a fork H3 carried by a balance lever H4. The balance lever H4 is pivotally mounted on a support H5 carried by a base H6, and the lever H4, at the end thereof opposite from the fork H3, has pivotally mounted thereon a weight H1; The weight H1 is preferably mounted on a pivoted support H8 which is pivoted to the lever H4, and the weight H1 is held in a vertical position by means of a rod H9 pivotally connected at its ends to the lower ends of support II 8 and depending arm I2, and at its center to support H5. The lever H4 has adjustable along the length thereof an adjustable weight I2I, so that the balance of the lever I I4 can be finally regulated. The mounting of the lower valve member 96 and the bottom wall structure I88 for vertical movement under the control of the balance structure is provided in order that the beans in the spaces between the triangular bars 91 will not be discharged into the delivery hopper I1 until the beans have been relieved of the desired amount of moisture. The vertical movement of the lever H4 regulates the opening and closing of a valve I22, which is interposed in a water supply pipe I23. The valve I22 includes a slotted arm I24 which engages a pin I25 carried by the weight supporting member I I8, so that vertical movement of the support H8 with movement of the lever H4 will either open or close the valve I22, and thereby regulate the opening or closing of the valve members 48 and 93 as will be hereinafter described.

The pipe I23 is connected at one end to a source of water supply, and at the other end is provided with a discharge nozzle I28 positioned above a vertically shiftable tank I21. A valve I28 is interposed in the pipe I23 adjacent the tank I21, and has a slotted lever I29 secured thereto which is engaged by a pin I30 carried by the tank I21 so that vertical movement of the tank I21 will open or close the valve I28. The tank I21 is mounted on a vertically disposed arm I3I carried by v one end of a balance lever I32 which is rockably mounted on a support I33. The tank I21 is maintained in an upright position by means of a rod I 38 pivotally connected at its ends to the lower ends of depending arms I3I and I35 and at its center to support I33.

The tank I21 has a discharge pipe I41 connected to the bottom thereof, which is slidably positioned in a drain pipe I48. The upper or inner end of the discharge pipe I41 is adapted to be closed by a ball valve I49 having a stem I50 secured thereto extending upwardly into the tank I21. A bell crank lever I5I is rockably carried by the tank I21 and engages a collar I52 mounted on the stem I30, so that rocking of the lever I5I will effect raising of the valve I49 and thereby drain the water or liquid into the drain pipe I48. Upon draining of the water or liquid from the tank I21, the weight I34 will raise the tank I21 thereby moving the lever I29 to valve opening position. The lever I5! is operated by movement of one of the intermediate valve members to open position, this intermediate valve member being designated by the numeral 48A, and

the rails 63A have connected thereto a supporting arm I53 which has adjustably secured thereto a threaded eyebolt I54, the eye I35 of which through the conduit I23.

slidingly engages one arm of the bell crank I5I.

Arranged in the Water feed pipe I23, and located therein in advance of valve I22, is a control valve I55. The operating lever I58 of valve I56 is movable across a quadrant I59 provided with valve indicating positions I60, IIII and IE2. When in either of the extreme positions, I60, I82, the valve is closed to prevent the passage of water When the lever I58 is in the vertical or intermediate position, valve I55 is open to permit the passage of water from the source of supply through conduit I23. Valve lever I58 has an adjustable link connection I 83 with a pin I25 carried by the aforementioned pendant H8 so that valve I58 will operate in response to the pivotal movement of lever H4.

The purpose and function of valve I58 will be apparent from the following: Each time lever H4 is caused to swing in a clockwise direction in response to the weight of the beans, valve I22 is moved to closed position by reason of the pin and slot connection I25, I24 between pendant H8 and valve I22. At the same time motion is transmitted through the link I63 to the valve lever I58 for moving the latter to the intermediate position I8I, thereby opening valve I53. As the weight of the beans decreases due to dryness, counterweights III will then cause lever I I4 to swing in an opposite direction for effecting an opening of valve I22 without disturbing the open position of valve I55. With both valves I50 and I 22 being now open, Water will then flow through the conduit I23 and through valve in into tank m sets the latter is fizll. tank I21 becomes full, rod [29 win as meal-led to fi'et' a closing of valve [28;While at tli sd-iii time driving belt 92 will be shifted from the idler pulley 93a to the driving pulley 93, this setting the entire mechanism in operation for effecting a transfer of the beans from one chamber to the next succeeding lower chamber. When this has been effected, the parts will then be position to repeat the cycle of operation just described,

The tower is adapted to be heated by a forced draft of air which initially enters the lower delivery chamber [8 through an intake pipe I65 which is connected at one end to a suitable source of air heating means, and extends-into the emitbier l8 and is formed with a vertically disposed discharge end 36 discharging the hot air into the .centiai ortion er the chamber 18. The vertically shiitable rod or shaft Hi6 slidingly engages through the center of the clischargemember E86, and the shaft HM has mounted thereon a double conical deflector l6! for deflecting the hot air to the outer portions of the chamber it. A blower or fan 58 is mounted on asupport {59' at one side of the lower portion of the tower l5, and has the suction side thereof connected to an intermediate chamber 28A. The chamber 28A is identical with the chambers 2-8 with the exception that the bottom wall thereof and the sliding valve are imperforate, as shown" in Figure 14, so that when correlated valve in the chamber 28A is in closed position, the air will not be able to rise above the chamber 28A. Th suction side of the blower 168 is connected to the chamber 28A by means of a pipe H which may be connected to a plurality of spaced points about the chamber 28A, as shown in Figure l. The outlet or discharge side of the blower ISB has connected thereto a pipe ill which is connected to a manifold H2 extending to opposite sides of the tower It. The opposite ends of the manifold "2 are connected to vertically disposed pipes H3, and the pipes H3 are connected to predetermined drying chambers 28 by means of branches H4.- The branches I'M have dampers [T5 mounted therein for regulating the amount of heated air discharged into the chambers with which the branches l'lfi are connected. Select cues of the chambers 28 also have gauges (T6 of conventional construction mounted thereon; whereby the temperatures of the air' within the tower may be determined from the exterior thereof.

the use and operation of this drier,- the moist coffee beans are discharged into the upper hopper l6; and it will be assumed that at the start the upper valve 31, which closes the lower end of the hopper i6, is in closed position, as shown Figure 4. Valve I55, together with valves I22 and llfi; will be opened for permitting the passageof water to tank 121 for" initially filling the same and which before filling will be in itsu'ppermost position.

The driving belt $2 will be trained about the idling pulley 93A and when the tank E21 becomes filled, this tank will be lowered thereby moving the belt shifter 65 to shift the belt 92 to the driv ing pulley 93. Belt 89 will thereby be operated to move wedge carrying belt i3. On the inner run of the belt 13, the wedge 82 will rise on its operative run and move the superposed valve members 9% and #28 respectively to open position in succession, beginning with the valve members at the lower portionci the tower l5 When the wedge asses the r'ouers Iii connected with caress;

ant nnasr t, this valve member wan a moving inwardly to open position, and will be closed by the spring closing means similar to theclosing means for valve members 43 shown in lf'igurfi; There being no beans in the meastiring chambers 36,- no beans will drop to the uppermost of the chambers 28. After the wedge 82 passes the rollers H1, they will engagerollers "8 connected with the upper valve 31, and teens from hopper IE will then drop into the measuring chambers 35, valve 4! at this time being closed.

Iii drder'to assure that the valve member 31 will be pitivly inoved to a closed position, the valve ihfiilier 31 has connected threwitha second pair of rollers 119 on the downward run of the wedge belt 13; The wedge belt 13 will continue to rotate progressively charging the drying campers-2a as the wedge i'noves'upwardly or'i th iri'ner' thereof;

During the initial charging of the charging chambers 28 thehot air discharged into the lower chamber I! may be lower in temperature than tnenermn operating temperature, the temperae tiii' iii the air being gradually increased until all of'the charging chambers are charged;

Assum ng that the tower it has beans in each drying chamber thereon and there being beans in the lower chainbi 29 and that the beans in chamber were not iii their predetermined dried condition; the weight of the beans in chamber 29 will lower the vertically movable chamber wall [00 with the valve member 98' in closed position. The lowering of the wall Hi0 will rock the balance lever H; to valve closing position; so that when the wedge 82 moves valve member 88A toope'n position, thet'ank I21 win be drained of water, and beltshifter 94 will shift belt 92 to idling pulley 93A stopping movement of the wedge belt 82. The blower IE8 operates independently of the movement of the wedge belt so th'at the hot air will continue to be drawn through chamber I8 and the chambers; there-- above; and the heated air discharged into upper chambers 28 from the discharge pipes H3 and branches I'M.

As soon as the beans 'on the mwermo'st Slotted wall Hill are dried to the desired degree, the weight in will raise the wan I00 and Open valve I22. Tank 12'! will thehbb filld with water and the apparatus will continue in operation intermittently as hereinbefore described. The filling of tank I21 may be timed to the desired degree so as to provide for holding the beans within the several drying chambers for the desired period of time.

By prov-icing a drying tower as hereinb'efoie described; theh'ottst air contacts with the beans whichai their driest condition; and the cooler heated air contacts the beans which are gradually being dried. In this manner the hot air will not case-harden the beans as would be the case where the hot arr f'roin delivery pipe contact'ed dire-em; with the beans in their initial nio'ist condition.

user will crevice for continuous drying or the beans, and provide an improved rapid drying apparatus capable of drying the coffee at the desired rapid rate, it being understdod that the rate of drying is consistent with thedua'ntity c'f passing through the device. in practice. the deHvei-y'enambers 3's are'adapted to r ceive an amount of c'ofiee beans equal to the height or methane-mar valve members as and $6. By prancing for the lateral discharge 9 of the coffee beans from an upper to a succeeding chamber, the beans are agitated and the heavier weight beans may drop through the drier beans for engagement with the perforated walls 45 forming the bottoms of the cham bers 28.

Preferably the inclined baffles 41 are alternately arranged so that the beans from one upper chamber will be discharged in one direction to the succeeding chamber and will be discharged from the succeeding chamber to the next lowermost chamber in the opposite direction.

This drier is so construed that the beans will be retained therein until they have been dried to the desired degree, thereby providing for uniform drying of the beans, this uniformity of drying being obtained by the automatic humidity operated balance structure connected with balance lever II4.

During the initial charging of the drying chambers, valve I22 is by-passed, and during each revolution of the wedge belt, valve 48a will eifect the emptying of tank I21. The emptying of tank I2! is so timed that before this tank is empty sufiicient to provide for shifting of belt 92 to idling pulley 93a, the wedge will have passed the upper measuring valve 38. The filling of tank I21 may be regulated so as to provide the necessary time interval during which there is no movement of the wedge belt and no transfer of the beans from one chamber to another. After the lower wall I has received its first charge of imperfectly dried beans, the weight of the beans will cause this wall to be lowered, rocking lever H4 to valve closing position with respect to valve I22, and at this time three-way valve I56 may be moved to automatic position wherein pipe I57 is cut off.

When the beans carried by wall I00 have been dried to the desired degree, weight I" will raise wall I00, opening valve I22 so as to effect filling of tank I27. When tank I21 is filled it will be lowered and belt 92 will be shifted to pulley 93 and the wedge belt will begin its operating cycle. The dried beans are first discharged from the lower wall I00 which is in raised position, and when the beans from the next chamber are discharged onto lower wall I00, this wall will move down due to the weight of the beans overcoming the weight I H. Continued upward movement of the wedge belt will cause successive discharge of the beans to the chamber therebelow. -When the wedge operates valve 48a the float valve in tank I21 will be raised to open position, the wedge belt continuing to move upwardly on its inner run until the uppermost measuring valve has been passed, and at this time tank I21 is filled sumciently to effect a lowering thereof and shifting of the belt 92 to idling pulley 93a.

With the wedge belt stopped, the hot air will continue to be discharged into the tower until the beans on the lower wall I00 are sufficiently dry to effect raising of this wall from its lower position to. its upper position, in which latter position valve I22 is again opened so that tank I2'I will again be filled.

What is claimed is;

l. A bean drying device comprising a vertical tower, a plurality of vertically spaced apart slotted walls in said tower dividing the latter into superposed drying chambers, horizontally slidable valve members in each chamber normally closing the slots in said walls, spring means constantly urging said valve members to closed position, an endless belt exteriorly of said tower having the runs thereof vertical, operating means for said belt, means carried by said belt for progressively moving said valve members to open position, and means discharging heated air into said chambers.

2. A bean drying device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said valve member moving means comprises a wedge-shaped element carried by said belt.

3. A bean drying device as set forth in claim 1 which includes timed means for regulating the period of operation of said belt.

4. A drier comprising a. tower, a receiving hopper, a predetermined-bulk feed device intermediate the hopper and tower to control the passage of the material to be dried from the receiv ing hopper to the tower, a delivery hopper at the bottom of the tower, a plurality of vertically spaced apart slotted walls in the tower, all of said walls, except one, being perforated and the lowermost one of said walls being supported for vertical movement, slide valves operatively associated with the walls, means for introducing a drying agent into said tower below the said one wall. actuating means common to said valves and the bulk feed device functioning to effect successively movement of each of said valves and to operate the bulk feed device, and a weighingscale assembly operatively connected with the said lower-most slotted wall and the aforementioned actuating means and functioning to control operation of said actuating means in response to vertical movement of said lower wall according to the weight of the material thereon.

5. A drying apparatus comprising a plurality of slotted walls located one above the other, means supporting the lower-most one of said walls for vertical movement, slide valves operatively associated with all of the walls, actuating means for the valves functioning to effect successfully movement of each of said valves to open and closed positions, and a weight-equipped balance lever operatively connected with the lower-most wall and the aforementioned actuating means and functioning in response to vertical movement of said lower-most wall according to the weight of the material thereon to out in and cut out said actuating means.

A. RAUL YGLESIAS-PAZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 626,148 Dempster May 30, 1899 808,081 French Dec, 26, 1905 921,206 Davidson May 11, 1909 1,355,238 Mangelsdorfi Oct. 12, 1920 1,673,241 Hatfield June 12, 1928 2,073,553 Dienst Mar. 9, 1937 2,183,274 Barnsdale Dec. 12, 1939 2,317,003 Vissac Apr. 20, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,297 Great Britain 1896 15,597 Great Britain July 29, 1905 24,432 Great Britain Nov. 3, 1911 137,631 Great Britain Jan. 22, 1920 379,730 Germany Aug. 28, 1923 562,810 France Sept. 15, 1923 

